Introduction

Many English words are formed by taking basic words and adding combinations of prefixes and suffixes to them. A basic word to which affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are added is called a root word because it forms the basis of a new word. The root word is also a word in its own right. For example, the word lovely consists of the word love and the suffix -ly.

In contrast, a root is the basis of a new word, but it does not typically form a stand-alone word on its own. For example, the word reject is made up of the prefix re- and the Latin root ject, which is not a stand-alone word.

Affixes

One method of understanding the meanings of new words is to analyze the different parts of the word and the meanings of those parts. Many new words are formed by adding an affix to the beginning or end of a Latin or Greek root or root word. When affixes are added to the beginning of roots or root words, they are called prefixes For example, the most common prefix is un-, which meant not oropposite of. If you add un- to the word happy, the new word becomes unhappy, which means not happy. When affixes are added to the end of roots or root words, they are called suffixes. The most common suffixes are -s and -es, which mean more than one (or the plural) of the word. Adding -es to wish, changes the meaning o the word to more than one wish.

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Those who don't think the lists were sufficient because it didn't help them complete their homework need to grow up. You're right. The lists here aren't the most comprehensive lists you can find online, but this website is for teaching kids to read and those who struggle with reading to read better.You need more roots, suffixes, and affixes so you can finish your homework? Don't rely on someone else to do your work for you. Use a dictionary.

As a seventh grade English teacher, I have found that many of my students have forgotten the basic roots and are having issues breaking the words apart to find meaning. These are the most common and will be a great review for my kids - thanks!

I wonder if the suffix 'ize' creates a verb based on a noun. For example, hospitalize, memorize, harmonize, institutionalize and many other verbs have more to do with the noun on which the ize is added than with the noun's root word.

I teach pro bono at a local school to encourage children to develop their vocabulary by understanding root words, and affixes. Your lists have helped with a foundation for me and my students to build on. Many thanks for the excellent work you have done. I take Grades 6, u and 8, and the children have found this very useful.

This is excellent work, Elaine Many thanks. As you rightly wrote, readers should use this as a starting point and build on it. I created a Power Point presentation with each successive slide adding a root word, its meaning, and the next one adding the example of that root. This enables the children to be challenged to tell the meaning and then the examples. It works very well as it makes the kids think. Thank you so much.